Fireplace screen



UML, 1949 R, E, BQYDEN EALW? FIREPLACE SCREEN Filed DSG. 26, 1945 ATTO/@M554 Patented Dec. 20, 1949 l`ED STATES PTET A(317;1:ICE.

FIREPLACE SCREEN Robert E. Boyden, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 26, 1945, Serial No.`637,187

(Cl. N30-:371)

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to screens `and has par-- ticular reference to replace screens for preventing embers and the like from being thrown outward by a re during the process of combustion.

l-Ieretoiore, replace screens in general have comprised screens of substantially `evenly spaced cross mesh wire strands of relatively close spacing. The meshed wire, forming relatively small square or substantially square openings, tend to reduce the passage of heat outward from the i'lre by reflecting ra large portion thereof back toward the nre. Such screens also form a visible barrier which cuts down visibility and -thus detracts from the natural beauty and appearance of a fire and replace settings. This is due to the large total amount of projected Iarea of the various strands and also, no doubt, to the phenomenon of diffraction of light lthrough the relatively small openings formed by the wire strands.

It therefore becomes a principal object of my invention to obviate the above mentioned disadvantages of replace screens.

A further object is to render a fireplace screen substantially invisible at ordinary distances.

A further object is t reduce the tendency oi a replace screen to accumulate soot and `other `products of vcombustion as well as `dirt and dust.

A still further object is to facilitate cleaning of a replace screen.

I have discovered that embers, ashes, etc. thrown off by a fire are generally of equal size in all three dimensions or, if elongated or planar in form, are thrown oli with their axes or -planes extending heterogeneously in different directions, and upon this discovery I have found that a screen made of parallel wire strands extending in one direction only will bar substantially the same amount of embers and ashes from passing therethrough as a series of cross meshed strands of the same spacing. At the same time, the total projected area of the strands is reduced by onehalf, thus increasing the transmission of light and heat. In view of this reduction of projected area, the screen becomes far less conspicuous.

The provision of parallel strands in one direction only to form a screen facilitates cleaning of the same since a cleaning cloth `or brush may be easily run along the strands to Awipe the same whereas considerable difliculty is encountered normally in attempting to clean cross meshed strands in the same manner.

Also, although horizontally extending parallel strands may be employed to obtain the above advantages of the present invention it has been discovered that yby utilizing vertically extending parallel strands `the tendency ,of soot, etc. to collect on such strands is materially reduced, {lhis is due to the fact that the products of combustion tend to settle downward and pile np on any hprie zontal extending element.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the fel-.lowing specication when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein;

1Eig. 1 is a front perpeotive View of a irfeplace screen embodying my present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rea-r View of a lower portion of said screen.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the screen `and is taken substantially along line 3.-3 of Fig. 2. A

Referring to Fig. 1 in particular, the screen comprises a substantially rectangular frame l0 formed of a relatively strong but resilient metal tubing or the like. A pair of feet ll in the form of transversely extending metal tubes :are integrally attached in spaced relation to each other on the bottom ,of the lower horizontal extending cross ypiece lil of the frame li?. Although the `feet Il may be attached in any suitable manner to the frame they are illustrated las being at.- tached :by screws l2 extending through `the bottoms of the feet and threadably secured in the frame.

Attached to the llower cross piece l!! is an elongated toothed anchor piece I3 (Fiss, 2 and .3) The main porti-on of the anchor piece i3 is attached, as by welding, to the rear Side of the cross piece Ill with .the teeth I'i extending downward and out of contact with the surface of the frame. A second anchor piece (not shown), similar to the anchor piece I3, is integrally attached t0 the rear side of the upper cross piece I5 of the frame l0 but has the teeth thereof projecting upwardly.

A wire it is passed in a sinuous manner between the upper and lower toothed anchor pieces 'and around the various teeth ll, the teeth thus `forming spacing means to substantially equally space the Various wire strands. The vertical and parallel extending strands of Wire thus form a screen which is substantially impervious to the passage of embers and ashes `of normal size therethrough.

I have found that wire commercially available as "music wire is best suited for the purpose since it may be stretched taut between the cross pieces I4 and I5 without breaking. I have also found that by using Wire from 0.008 to 0.012 inch in diameter and forming the teeth Il so as to space the Various strands from 3% to of an inch apart, the resulting screen, although capable of screening embers, etc., is almost invisible when viewing a re therethrough from a normal distance. The screen thus formed, permits the unrestricted passage of heat therethrough from a re and allows the fire to be viewed without obstruction.

In threading the wire over the teeth I1 of the anchor pieces I3 on the upper and lower cross pieces I4 and I5, the cross pieces are rst sprung inwardly toward each other a certain amount, and while in this condition the wire is threaded over the teeth. The cross pieces I4 and I5 are then allowed to spring back toward their original shape and in doing so stretch the strands of wire or lament I5 taut so that they will normally remain rigid relative to the frame. It is desirable to initially so spring the cross pieces that when later released to tension the wire strands such pieces are still in sprung condition.

In view of the taut condition of the strands I6 and the fact that they are supported only at their ends, any appreciable jarring of the screen will set the strands into vibration and thus tend to throw off any dust, dirt or the like which might possibly cling thereto.

It will be noted that the anchor pieces I3 are located at a mid point on the rear periphery of the lower and upper cross pieces I4 and I5, respectively, and are thus invisible when viewing the screen from the iront, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the invention what I desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A fireplace screen capable of screening flying embers comprising a frame of resilient material, means for suppo-rting said frame in a vertical position, means at the top and bottom sides of said frame forming teeth, and a wire extending sinuously around said teeth to form parallel strands extending in a vertical direction only, said strands being held under tension and maintaining said frame in sprung condition, said teeth each having a width substantially equal to the spacings between adjacent ones of said teeth whereby to space all of said strands substantially equal amounts.

2. A replace screen capable of screening flying embers comprising a substantially rectangular frame of resilient material, means for supporting said frame in a vertical position, an elongated toothed member extending along the rear of the top side of said frame, a second toothed member extending along the rear of the bottom side of said frame, and a wire extending sinuously around the teeth of said toothed members to form parallel strands, said strands being held under tension and maintaining said frame in a sprung condition, and said teeth having a width substantially equal to the spacings between adjacent ones of said teeth whereby to space all of said strands substantially equal amounts.

3. A fireplace screen capable of screening flying embers comprising a tubular frame of resilient material, means for supporting said frame in a vertical direction, an elongated toothed member integral with the rear of the top side of said frame and having the teeth thereof extending upwardly and away from the surface of said frame, a second elongated toothed member integral with the rear of -the bottom side of said frame and having the teeth thereof extending downwardly and away from the surface of said frame, and a wire extending sinuously around the teeth o1 said mem bers to form parallel strands, said strands being held under tension and maintaining said frame in a sprung condition, and said teeth having a width substantially equal to the spacings between adjacent ones of said teeth whereby to space all of said strands substantially equal amounts.

ROBERT E. BOYDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 63,310 Muller Nov. 20, 1923 195,582 Crouse Sept. 25, 187'? 259,929 Shoemaker June 20, 1832 319,057 Bickley June 2, 1385 403,219 Sampson May 14, 1389 443,146 Neff Dec. 23, 1890 936,290 Beard Oct. 12, 1909 1,263,147 Tanron Apr. 16, 1918 2,186,692 Bayer Jan. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 223,742 Germany of 1919 OTHER REFERENCES Belknap Hardware Manufacturing Co., 1934, page 1268; ilat screen. (Design Division.) 

